Was death of actress Carole Landis suicide or murder?

Actress Carole Landis was a World War II pinup as she traveled over seas to entertain soldiers. In 1948, she was found dead in her home which was ruled suicide.

Published: Friday, January 11, 2013 at 05:38 PM.

Carole Landis was a vibrant, beautiful 20th Century Fox starlet of the 1930s and 1940s.

Starring in films like “Moon over Miami“ (1941) or “My Gal Sal“ (1942) with Rita Hayworth, she was a favorite pin-up during the World War II era.

Landis traveled overseas during World War II to entertain soldiers along with actresses Kay Francis, Mitzi Mayfair and Martha Raye; the basis of her book turned movie, “Four Jills In a Jeep.“

Unexpectedly Landis was found dead at 4 a.m. on July 5, 1948. It’s been ruled suicide by overdose of sleeping pills, but her family isn’t convinced.

Carole Landis was discovered in her apartment after a lavish Fourth of the July party followed by an intimate dinner with actor Rex Harrison, nicknamed by several “Sexy Rexy .“

Harrison and Landis had been involved in an widely known extra-marital affair. At the time, Harrison was married to actress Lilli Palmer. Landis and Harrison had broken up and recently gotten back together around the time of the party.

On the Official Carole Landis website run by her great-niece, the Landis family is convinced that Rex Harrison murdered her to avoid scandal surrounding the affair they had been having.

Carole Landis was a vibrant, beautiful 20th Century Fox starlet of the 1930s and 1940s.

Starring in films like “Moon over Miami“ (1941) or “My Gal Sal“ (1942) with Rita Hayworth, she was a favorite pin-up during the World War II era.

Landis traveled overseas during World War II to entertain soldiers along with actresses Kay Francis, Mitzi Mayfair and Martha Raye; the basis of her book turned movie, “Four Jills In a Jeep.“

Unexpectedly Landis was found dead at 4 a.m. on July 5, 1948. It’s been ruled suicide by overdose of sleeping pills, but her family isn’t convinced.

Carole Landis was discovered in her apartment after a lavish Fourth of the July party followed by an intimate dinner with actor Rex Harrison, nicknamed by several “Sexy Rexy .“

Harrison and Landis had been involved in an widely known extra-marital affair. At the time, Harrison was married to actress Lilli Palmer. Landis and Harrison had broken up and recently gotten back together around the time of the party.

On the Official Carole Landis website run by her great-niece, the Landis family is convinced that Rex Harrison murdered her to avoid scandal surrounding the affair they had been having.

“Aunt Carole’s death has haunted my family for 62 years and knowing Rex Harrison never paid for what he did only makes it worse ,“ the website reads. “We may never know the truth about her death but we do know that the official version just doesn’t make sense .“

A few reasons the Landis family feels was murdered:

Landis was happy and friendly, which they feel means she couldn’t have depression like some sources have claimed.

Harrison couldn’t or wouldn’t divorce his wife for Landis, because it would ruin his career.

The Landis family doesn’t think Carole would have a large, expensive Fourth of July party if she was planning on killing herself. Carole was quoted as saying that she had never been happier.

Landis had made a few suicide attempts in the past but the website describes them as “attention grabbing “ for publicity and family. These suicide attempts were supposedly Carole’s version of a temper tantrum.

Rex Harrison was the last person with Carole and the first one to find her body.

Claiming that a divorce would ruin Harrison’s career is an interesting speculation, granted that many actors were married and divorced frequently in Hollywood. Harrison eventually divorce his wife Lilli Palmer to marry actress Key Kendal.

Dismissing suicide attempts as “attention grabbers “ is ridiculous. I think that is the biggest warning sign of all. Even if a suicide attempt is to gain attention, the fact that it was even tried means there is some sort of problem.

In regards to the Fourth of July party, it’s possible that she spent so much money on a party with her friends because it was her way of saying goodbye. Carole may have “never been happier ,“ because she thought her troubles were over.

Before reading this website, I had never heard claims Landis was murdered. Turner Classic Movies prime time host and film historian Robert Osborne has said that Landis committed suicide as did LIFE magazine.

If you look at the website, it shows pictures of her grand niece wearing Landis’s jewelry and short bios of Landis’s relatives dead and living.

Maybe I would take the murder claim more seriously if I didn’t wonder if the family or other parties were trying to somehow capitalize off Carole Landis with their grief.

I also feel the family might not fully accept suicide as a possibility because of the stigma of it, particularly during the 1940s.

However, the only two people who know the truth are dead.

Jessica Pickens writes a weekly column about classic movies and the Hollywood of yesteryear. Reach her at 704-669-3332 or jpickens@shelbystar.com. Follow on Twitter at @ StarJPickens and at her film blog, Comet Over Hollywood at www.cometoverhollywood.com.